French leader ‘asked secret service for list of firms at risk of takeover’

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THE French secret service is reported to have drawn up a confidential list of French companies that could be vulnerable to hostile bids by foreign investors.

The list was handed to Dominique de Villepin, the Prime Minister, last year, according to La Tribune, the French financial newspaper, which said that the list included Vivendi, the communications company, Société Générale, the bank, and Carrefour, the supermarket group.

M de Villepin is believed to have ordered French intelligence agencies to provide him with information to sustain his campaign for “economic patriotism”, which has been criticised as covert protectionism. He is seeking to